Beached!
by Surf-merGirl1963
Summary: When the Partridge Family goes to the beach, they're in for more than sunburn!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

A day off. Laurie couldn't believe it! It was one of those rare occasions when the Partridge Family could have the entire day to themselves and do whatever they wanted. Laurie was so relieved. It's not that she didn't like touring, but it always ate up most of her summer and school took up the rest of her year. To have a day off was completely exhilarating and she wanted to make the most of it. She already had plans. She and some of her friends were going to go down to the school and help at a _Save the Whales_ convention. Laurie had been looking forward to the event for weeks. However, it seemed her mother had other plans.

"The beach?" Laurie looked at her mother in shock. All her siblings' faces registered the same sort of emotion. They were sitting in the living room. It was Saturday morning and everyone had just got up and eaten breakfast.

"Yes." Shirley smiled at them and stood up, "We never really do anything together anymore and I thought a day at the beach would be fun."

"Not do anything together?" Keith spoke. "Mom, we're together 365 days of the year. We're a family. We're constantly together. We even tour together!" Laurie figured he probably had plans of his own and wasn't too happy about the arrangement.

Shirley's smile faded, "Well, I suppose. But there's a large difference between living together and spending time with one another. I think we need some family bonding time."

"What's more bonding then sitting together in a bus for fourteen hours?"

Laurie knew her brother was referring to their last road trip when they had driven all the way to Colorado for a concert and back in less than three days. Nobody had been happy with Rueben when they had returned and Shirley forbid him to ever book them in two places so far apart again.

Shirley gave her eldest son one of those there-is-no-use-arguing looks and looked back to the rest of her children. "I want all of you to get your things together and meet me at the bus in an hour."

Everybody nodded feebly and headed silently for their rooms. Keith caught Laurie at the top of the stairs. "You still gonna go?" He asked her. She knew very well what he was talking about. He was the only one she had told about the convention and he knew how important it was to her.

Laurie said, "You heard Mom. We're all going. No questions asked."

Keith shrugged and entered his room. Laurie sighed and entered hers. He wasn't much help! She found Tracy in the closet pulling out her shovel and pail. Satisfied that the youngest didn't need any assistance, Laurie collapsed upon her bed and drew her knees to her chest. What was she going to do? She had promised Bess that she'd be there today and everybody was counting her, but she couldn't very well tell her Mom that helping at a _Save the Whales_ convention was more important than family time at the beach.

The phone rang and Laurie snatched it quickly out of the cradle. It was still new to her having this phone in her room, but it was moments like these that she was glad to have one. "Hello?"

"Hey, Laurie. It's Bess. I just wondered if you were still coming down to the campus today?" Bess sounded bright and cheery and Laurie hated to disappoint her.

The moment she had been dreading had finally arrived. "I'm afraid I can't, Bess. Mom's dragging us all to the beach today."

"You're kidding!"

Laurie shook her head, but then realizing Bess wasn't there to see, answered despondently, "No."

"Well…" Bess let her voice trial off. "Do you think there's any way for you to get out of it?"

"You know my Mom…" Laurie lay on her stomach and watched as Tracy began piling all her beach toys on the rug.

"Yeah. Talk to her. I'm sure when she hears our cause she'll have to let you go!"

"I don't know, Bess..."

"It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?"

"I guess not."

"Then go ask her and then call me back!"

"Oh, but Bess---" The line went dead and Laurie sighed. She placed the phone back in its cradle and stood up. "I'll be back." She told Tracy as she headed for the bedroom door. She knew Bess was right. All she had to do was tell her Mom about the convention and how important it was to her and then her mother was sure to agree and let her go.

Little did she know how wrong she was going to be.

* * *

Shirley didn't exactly say no when Laurie had found her in the kitchen, moments later, packing a picnic lunch; but Laurie knew that her answer held the same meaning.

"I'm sorry Laurie, but can't you do this another day? I really want the whole family together." Shirley added another layer of sandwiches to the picnic basket.

Laurie sighed dramatically and leaned against the counter. "But Mom, today's my first _real_ day off. Can't I do something that _I_ want to do?"

"Don't you like the beach?" Asked her mother, pulling some crisp red apples from the fruit bowl on the counter.

"Of course I do," protested Laurie, "I just don't want to go to the beach _today_."

Shirley stood thoughtfully for a moment, the last apple still in her hand. Laurie dreaded the times her mom did this. It meant she was analyzing the situation and then it would usually render a less than satisfying response.

"I'll tell you what," Shirley said at last, "I'll let you choose what you think would be best." She resumed packing.

Laurie hated that answer. She wasn't sure if it was a _'Yes, go ahead and Save the whales' _or a _'No, you're coming to the beach and that's that'_. Her Mom said _she_ got to choose. In a heartbeat Laurie thought about the protest, but then a tugging in her heart told her that the family outing would be best. Her Mom _really_ wanted everyone to go along. Laurie knew that she'd be disappointed if she were to not attend.

"Okay. I'll come with you and the kids to the beach."

Shirley smiled at her. "I'm glad." The way she said it made Laurie suspect her Mom knew all along what her final answer would be.

Laurie sighed. What was she getting herself into? "I guess I'd better go get ready." Shirley only nodded as her oldest daughter exited the kitchen and trudged up the stairs.

Laurie didn't know whether she was mad, sad or excited. Something inside told her choosing the beach was the right decision, but another thing scolded her about commitments. She had, after all, told Bess she was going to be there. She and the rest of the gang were counting on her and now she would have to let them down.

Tracy was already in her baiting suit and all packed up when Laurie arrived back at the bedroom. She hastily rushed over to her older sister and held out two rubber bands. "Will you put my hair in pigtails?" She asked and Laurie nodded.

"Just a minute. I have to make a phone call first." She sat again on her bed and dialed Bess.

Bess answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, I talked to Mom and I can't come. I'm going to the beach."

"Oh." Laurie could just imagine the look on her friend's face.

"Maybe tomorrow?" She added hopefully, trying to smooth things over.

Bess's voice was small and disappointed, "Sure. Call me then." She paused and then added, "Have fun at the beach."

"Thanks."

Laurie hung up and then went over to help Tracy with her hair. An hour later she and the rest of her family were on their way to the beach; but Laurie's heart was back at the San Pablo Community College campus standing with the rest of her friends, passing out pins and t-shirts.

She sighed and stared out the window watching as the scenery passed by her. _I sure hope I did the right thing._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The beach was packed when the Partridge family arrived. They got the last spot in the parking lot and then rushed quickly out onto the golden sand. Keith spotted an empty stretch of sand about a half mile down shore and they hiked to it and set up their things. Laurie helped her Mom open the large beach umbrella while Keith laid out the blanket and towels. Danny and Chris, meanwhile, headed for the water and Tracy, the sand.

Moments later, Laurie found herself sitting on her beach towel watching the waves as Keith fiddled with their portable radio. Laurie was sure that her brother would die if music were to suddenly disappear from the planet.

Shirley sat down near her daughter and let out a pleasant sigh, "Isn't this nice?" She looked to her oldest children, waiting for a response.

"Nothing good on." Keith muttered, shutting off the radio.

Laurie shrugged. "I guess." Though she was glad she had decided to come to the beach with her family, she still felt bad about ditching her friends.

"I'm glad we decided to do this. It's much more relaxing then sitting around the house seeing things that need to be done."

Laurie shrugged again and Keith mumbled something about seeing someone he knew before standing up and walking off down the beach. Laurie watched him go. She wondered if he had also had something planned for the day that, like her plans, had gotten canceled.

She looked to her Mom, but Shirley's nose was already in a book she had brought. _So much for family bonding time,_ she thought glumly.

Laurie soon got bored sunbathing and decided to help Tracy with her sandcastle. This turned into more work than fun when Tracy kept sending Laurie back to the ocean's edge for another bucketful of water for the moat they couldn't keep filled. Laurie finally suggested they make a trench from the water's edge to the moat and helped Tracy dig one before returning to her beach towel and collapsing upon it.

Shirley looked at her from over the top of the book. "Having fun."

"Sure." Laurie replied, flashing her mother a much-forced smile. She hated to say it, but she wasn't having a good time! Her arms ached and she was thirsty. She decided to dig through the cooler her mother had brought and pulled out a soda. As she sat there and drank the sugary beverage, she found herself wishing Keith would come back. At least then she'd have someone to talk to.

Family bonding time? Now she really doubted it. Besides Chris and Danny, swimming in the ocean together, or she and Tracy, having built that sand castle, no one was actually spending much quality time together. Shirley just read her book and Laurie hadn't seen Keith for at least two hours. Danny and Chris continued to bounce about the waves and Tracy had gone off in search of some shells. Sitting alone, Laurie was bored.

At noon, the younger kids returned for lunch and then Keith appeared, alone. Laurie began to doubt he had actually seen someone he knew. She frowned at him as he approached, but he didn't say anything.

Shirley passed out the sandwiches and the fruit before looking around and smiling at her children. "Are all of you having fun?"

Chris grinned. "Sure are. Danny and I, we're---" His voice trailed off and Laurie notice Danny had flashed his younger brother a warning look.

"Having a good time swimming." The redheaded brother finished.

Shirley nodded, but Laurie knew her mother also suspected something was up between the two younger boys. "How about you, Keith?"

"Oh, swell." He said. Laurie could tell he was lying. He was bored. She knew it, but apparently, she was the only one who noticed.

"Laurie?" When she looked up, her mother was staring at her.

"Oh, yeah. It's really fun, Mom."

Shirley frowned. "None of you are having a great of a time are you?"

Laurie sensed her mother's disappointment so she quickly answered before Danny could open his big mouth. "Maybe what we need is to all do something together? You know? Family bonding time? That's what the purpose of this trip was, wasn't it?"

Keith got the message. "Good idea, Laurie. Mom, we brought the Frisbee, didn't we?" He stood before taking another bite from his sandwich.

"Sure. It's in the beach bag with the rest of Tracy's sand tools."

Keith nodded and began digging trough the bag.

"Frisbee?" Chris complained. "But I want to swim some more."

Shirley smiled, "Well then you can swim."

Danny seemed surprised. "Me too?"

Shirley nodded. "Sure."

"You mean we don't have to participate in 'family bonding time'?"

Shirley shook her head, "Go ahead and swim. The rest of us will do something together." She paused and then handed Danny the sunscreen. "Just don't forget to put some of this on first."

Danny nodded.

Laurie soon noticed that Tracy had been sitting silently while everyone ate. She began to wonder if something was wrong. "Are you okay?" Laurie asked gently.

Tracy looked up at her and then nodded quickly. Laurie figured she had been deep in thought about something and didn't bother asking any further about it.

After lunch, the three youngest Partridges ran off back towards the beach and Keith, Shirley, and Laurie made a triangle on the sand and began tossing the Frisbee. Laurie had to admit, after hitting Keith with the Frisbee a few times, she was actually having fun.

An hour later, they all tired of the sport and returned to their beach towels, laughing hysterically.

"Well! Wasn't that fun?" Said Shirley as she collapsed on her beach towel. "We should do this more often!"

Keith and Laurie soon joined her and Keith instantly went for a soda. Laurie was laughing so hard, that she didn't have the time to answer her mom. Keith meanwhile, tossed an ice cube on her back.

"Hey!" Laurie jumped in surprise and then lunged at her brother, but he dodged her blow and ran off out onto the sand with the soda in his hand.

Laurie decidedly grabbed a handful of ice and took off after him. It didn't take her long to catch him and send the melting ice down his back. Satisfied that she had gotten even, she stalked back to her place on her beach towel and sat down beside her laughing mother. Keith soon joined her looking a bit uncomfortable, but amused.

"Where's my beach towel?" Tracy soon approached them.

"Right there." Shirley said pointing.

Laurie expected her sister to sit down, but instead, she picked up the towel and began to walk off.

"Wait, Tracy!" Shirley stopped her. "Where are you going with that?"

"I need it." Was Tracy's short reply.

"But for what? Are you going to go swimming with the boys?" Shirley didn't wait for an answer, but rather turned to Laurie. "Laurie, will you go into the water with her? I don't think the boys will keep a very good eye on her."

Laurie nodded. At least she'd be in the water. She stood up and walked off with Tracy towards the water. Tracy continued to pull her towel along with her. Laurie couldn't help but notice that her sister was acting a little strange. It was so unlike Tracy to be so quiet and secretive.

"Wait! I'll come too!" Keith finished his soda and caught up with them. They soon found Danny and Chris swimming not too far from shore. Keith instantly joined them and started a game of water tag. "Come on, Laurie!" He invited and Laurie foolishly forgot her duties to her sister and went to join her brothers in the water.

* * *

At sunset, Laurie and the rest of her siblings returned to where their Mom sat with her book on her beach towel.

"Ouch!" Danny complained as he walked.

Laurie looked to him and noticed his shoulders were almost as red as his hair. "Danny! Didn't you put on sunscreen?"

"Sure I did." Said Danny. "Right after lunch."

Laurie knew it was his neglect to re-apply that got him into trouble. She was surprised that she and her other brothers weren't also sunburned. They hadn't really been reapplying their sunscreen either.

"Where's Tracy?" Was the first thing Shirley asked when all but her youngest dropped down on their beach towels beside her.

Laurie looked around quickly. Tracy wasn't in sight. Bt hadn't she been in the water with the rest of them?

"Laurie?" Shirley looked to her eldest daughter. "Where's Tracy?"

"I don't know I---" A pang of fear gripped her heart as reality stepped in. The last time she had seen her sister was right before entering the water to play tag with her brothers. She had forgotten her promise to her mom to watch Tracy in the water. If Tracy had gone in and then fallen, no one would have noticed. For all she knew, Tracy could have drowned and it would be all her fault!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Surprisingly, Keith handled the frantic situation calmly. "It's okay, Mom. She probably just wandered off. We'll go look for her." He motioned to Laurie and the two of them rose from their beach towels.

"We'll help." Said Chris and Shirley shook her head.

"No, I want you and Danny to stay here with our belongings. Laurie? Keith?" She looked to her eldest children. "You two go that way and I'll go this." Keith nodded and then Shirley headed off towards the parking lot.

"I feel just terrible!" Laurie admitted to her brother as they walked down the beach and towards the cliffs. She couldn't help but think it was her fault that Tracy had disappeared.

"It's alright, Laurie." Keith tried to be comforting. "It could have happened to any of us. You know how Tracy wanders off."

"But Keith, she wanted to go into the water. What if she---" Laurie didn't dare finish her sentence. Keith took her hand and squeezed it. She knew he understood. She just hoped they would find Tracy or she would never forgive herself.

The sun was nearly gone from the sky when they reached the cliffs. They walked along the thin stretch of sand and wandered along the rock-side. The two siblings continued to hold hands as they padded along across the seaweed strung sand. Laurie nearly tripped twice and her brother had to help her.

"Should we turn back?" Keith asked her when the last sliver of the golden sun disappeared from sight. The moon was out now and it was pretty dark.

"No. Let's go just a little further."

"Laurie, if we haven't found her by now, there's no way---" The words caught in his throat as both he and Laurie saw two lone figures coming towards them. The taller one walked with a faltered step as the smaller one toddled along a step ahead.

Keith instantly pushed Laurie to the cliff with him and watched breathlessly as the strange figures approached.

"Come on, Sandy. It won't be long now." Spoke the smaller one.

_Tracy!_ Laurie knew that small voice in an instant! She elbowed Keith in the ribs. "It's Tracy!" She whispered urgently in his ear. "She's alright!"

Keith merely nodded and dropped her hand.

"But---" It suddenly dawned on her, "Who's with her?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

They were still whispering and when Keith pushed away from the wall, Laurie grabbed his arm. "I'm coming too."

Keith nodded weakly and the two siblings approached the figures. As they drew nearer they could see them more clearly. The moonlight helped illuminate the details. Sure enough, there was Tracy, and right behind her a beautiful girl with long hair and a short dress.

"Tracy!" Laurie called out, recognizing her sister. She ran to her, stooping and throwing her arms around the little six-year-old.

"See?" Tracy spoke to her companion. "I told you we were close."

Her sister's comment to the other person caused Laurie to look up at her. Laurie straightened and took hold of Tracy's hand. The teenaged girl that stood before her looked at her nervously. Laurie almost thought she was scared.

"Who are you?" She asked the girl, but the girl remained silent.

Tracy spoke up, "This is Sandy. I met her on the beach."

Laurie looked down at her sister and then looked over to her brother. Why wasn't he helping? She soon found out why. He was gaping. Lover-boy Partridge was star-struck once again.

"Oh." Laurie looked back to the girl. Something was unusual about her, but Laurie couldn't figure out what.

Tracy tugged at her arm. "Where's Mommy? I want to introduce her to Sandy."

Laurie looked down at her sister, "I don't think we should, Tracy."

"Why not?"

But Laurie wasn't listening. She looked back to the girl and for the first time noticed what she was wearing. It wasn't a short dress after all. It was Tracy's beach towel: wrapped around her thin figure and tucked in at the front. Laurie only hoped that Sandy had something on underneath. "Keith?" She looked to her brother.

"Oh, uh huh?" He looked over to her.

"We found Tracy, let's go." She frowned at Sandy, but Sandy wasn't paying attention.

But Tracy let go of her sister's hand and again grabbed hold of the stranger's. "I'm not leaving without Sandy." Sandy looked down at the youngest Partridge.

"You have to." Laurie argued, irately.

Tracy shook her head.

Keith finally made himself useful. "Tracy, come on. We need to go now. Mom's really worried about you. We've been searching for almost an hour. Say goodbye to your friend and let's go."

Tracy looked up at Sandy and then back to her brother. "But you don't get it, Sandy has to come with us. She doesn't have any place to stay!"

Laurie got a sick feeling in her stomach. "She told you that?"

Tracy shook her head. "I asked her. She's really shy. She won't talk to anybody."

Laurie looked back to Sandy. Won't talk? That was odd.

"Um… okay?" Keith looked to the tall girl that stood nearby. "Sandy, is it?"

The beautiful girl tilted her head sideways and looked at him perplexedly.

"Do you know who I am?" He pointed to himself. Laurie thought this a dumb question, but kept her opinion to herself and also looked to Sandy, waiting for an answer.

Sandy looked at him for a long while and then shook her head firmly.

Laurie wasn't convinced. A teenage girl that didn't know about Keith Partridge? It seemed impossible. It was as if this girl appeared out of nowhere.

"Um…"

Laurie looked to her brother as he began to speak again. She hoped Keith would ask all the correct questions and keep away from the dumb ones. Maybe this girl couldn't speak. Maybe she was mute? Or maybe she was only pretending? Laurie didn't like the idea that her little sister may have befriended a fortune seeker.

"Laurie." Tracy tugged at her arm again while still holding on to Sandy's hand. "She doesn't have a family. Can't we take her to Mom?"

Laurie motioned for her to be quiet.

"Alright then…" Keith tried to come up with another question and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Where are you from?"

Sandy glanced at the ocean and then looked back to Keith. She bit her lower lip and smiled nervously.

Laurie was getting inpatient. She figured his questioning wasn't getting them anywhere so she decided to ask the most obvious question herself. "Sandy?"

Sandy looked to her, quickly.

"Can you speak?"

Sandy's smile faded and she shook her head solemnly.

"You mean she's mute?" Keith looked from one sister to another.

Laurie shrugged, "That's my best guess."

"Laurie…" Tracy said again.

"We'd better go." Laurie said to Keith but he wouldn't budge.

"What about Sandy?"

"What about Sandy? Keith, we can't take her with us. We don't' know anything about her!"

But reason didn't seem to reach her brother's lovesick heart. "Oh, come on Laurie. Let's at least bring her to Mom and see what Mom thinks. Tracy said she doesn't have a home." All it took was a pretty girl to make Keith neglect reason.

Laurie shook her head. "She could be lying."

"Well, if she is, Mom will know."

Laurie was skeptical. "I don't know…"

"Please Laurie…"

"Please?" Tracy echoed her brother.

Laurie sighed, knowing she couldn't win this argument. "Okay, fine. Let's go."

Tracy's small face broke into a huge grin and she began to lead Sandy across the shore once more. "Come on, Sandy." She prodded gently and Sandy walked with faltering steps behind her.

Laurie and Keith exchanged worried glances, but Laurie said nothing. She gave her brother a vicious look and then followed after her sister. A shroud of mystery surrounded Tracy's new friend and Laurie didn't care a bit to find the answers. Unfortunately, she was sure Keith didn't share her opinion.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

When the four of them arrived at the beach spot, Shirley had returned. When she saw Tracy, her face brightened instantly and she ran to the youngster, throwing her arms around her.

"Oh, Tracy! Where have you been? You scared me half to death."

Laurie watched the reunion, taking note of Sandy's response. Sandy just stood there and watched; her expression was hard to read.

"I've been with Sandy." Said Tracy and Laurie turned her head to watch her mother's expression turn from joyful to surprised in just a matter of seconds.

"Sandy?" Just as Laurie had done before, Shirley straightened and looked at the stranger. Sandy smiled at her sweetly.

"I found her on the beach." Said Tracy. "She was all alone and had lost her things so I lent her my beach towel."

"Oh, well. Hello, Sandy." Shirley smiled at the stranger, but Laurie was sure her mother felt as uneasy as she did.

"Tracy said Sandy doesn't have a place to stay." Keith spoke up. Laurie felt like flattening him. Why couldn't he just stay out of it? There was no way they were going to take her with them when they left.

"Oh? And what does Sandy have to say about this?" Shirley looked to Sandy.

"Nothing." Laurie spoke up. "She can't speak."

"Really?" Danny's eyes got as big as two shining quarters. "You're kidding." By the way he said it, Laurie knew he was fascinated by the very fact that not everybody can talk.

"Why would I kid about something like that?" Laurie snapped.

Shirley gave Laurie a disapproving stare and then looked back to the girl in question. "Is that true, Sandy? You can't speak?"

Sandy shook her head, solemnly. Shirley looked troubled.

"Mom, shouldn't we be heading home now?" Asked Laurie impatiently. She wanted to get as far away from the beach and Sandy as possible. Something about the girl made her feel uncomfortable.

"We should." Shirley agreed.

"Can we take Sandy with us?" Asked Tracy.

"Take her with us?" Shirley looked surprised. "Why would we take her with us?"

"She doesn't have a home. I asked her." Was Tracy's short reply.

"But she must belong somewhere…" Shirley thought for a moment.

"Nowhere." Insisted Tracy. "She's an orphan."

Shirley looked at her youngest thoughtfully and then reached for her beach bag. Laurie watched as she dug around inside before pulling out a notepad and a pencil. "The pencil's a little dull, but I'm sure this will work for what we need it for." She handed the items to Sandy. "Here, dear. You can write down all your responses." Laurie almost smiled at her resourcefulness. He mother always seemed to be able to overcome every boundary.

Sandy took the items from Mrs. Partridge and looked at them perplexedly.

"Now," Shirley smiled at the girl again. "Where did you come from, Sandy?"

Sandy looked to Shirley and then glanced over at Keith. Keith shrugged.

Shirley tried again. "Come on, Sandy. Where did you come from?"

Sandy looked at the items in her hand and then back at Mrs. Partridge.

"That's right. Write it down."

Sandy instead handed the items back to her. Laurie was stunned. Was Sandy illiterate? Was she also unable to write? That didn't seem possible. Sandy was at least fifteen and unless the girl had been on her own for several years, she would have learned penmanship in school.

"Mom?" Keith spoke. He sounded a little nervous.

"What is it?"

"Maybe we should take her someplace. Like to the police department or something. She could be lost." Everyone looked to Sandy again.

Shirley nodded. "I think you're right." She took one last look at Sandy and then turned to her children. "Alright, kids. Let's break up camp." Everyone got to work.

"Mom, you can't be serious." Laurie complained to her mother over the beach umbrella as they folded it. "We can't take Sandy with us."

"Laurie, I'm surprised at you! You, of all your siblings, are always willing to help someone in need. Sandy's lost, she needs our help."

Laurie hated to admit it, but she did feel a little ashamed. Her mother was right. This was unusual for her. She usually would be the one begging her mother to help a runaway, not to leave the poor girl stranded on the beach. "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I can understand why you would be concerned. Sandy's story is indeed a mystery."

Once everything had been packed, the Partridge family headed back to the bus. Laurie was surprised to see even Sandy helped to carry something. Sandy was holding several folded beach towels, following Tracy with her pail and shovel like an obedient puppy. It is here Laurie realized what it was that made her feel uneasy about the girl. She hardly acted like a normal American teenager. Laurie tried to persuade herself this had to do with Sandy's lack of speech, but something just didn't sit right.

When they got on the bus, Sandy sat with Tracy; and Keith, of course, sat in the seat in front of them. Danny and Chris took the seat across and Laurie sat alone in the seat closest to her mother in the driver's seat. It seemed like everyone wanted to sit by Sandy.

"Hey, Mom?" Laurie spoke when her mom pulled out of the parking lot. "Maybe we should stop at home before going over to the police department. It's getting close to Tracy and Chris's bedtime and--"

"I think you're right." Shirley responded, not allowing her to finish. "And besides that, I'm sure Sandy would like to wear something besides her bathing suit to the police station. We can lend her something. It's a shame all her things got washed out to sea."

Laurie figured her mother had developed the last part of that story herself. Tracy had only said Sandy had misplaced her things and now it seemed Shirley assumed they had been washed out to sea. Laurie sighed and sat back in her seat.

She glanced back at the others who all seemed to be talking to Sandy. Sandy, however, wasn't paying much attention; her eyes were glued to the window as she watched what they passed. To Laurie, it seemed to be an exaggerated amount of interest. Sandy looked as if she'd never seen any of it before.

Laurie sighed and turned back around to look out her own window. She stayed like that until they arrived home later that night. The whole time her mind had been trying to sort out what little facts they knew about Sandy. Facts that were very scarce.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Since Sandy was so slim, Laurie ended up being the one to lend her a dress. While Sandy changed in the bathroom, Shirley was busy trying to get the younger two Partridges into bed. Tracy kept refusing, saying she wanted to go with Sandy to the police department. It was a request Shirley soon gave in to.

"But Mom, it's past nine o' clock." Laurie wasn't happy about her mother's decision. It wasn't so much the time, as Chris and Tracy had several times missed their curfew, her main concern was Sandy and the effect she had on Tracy. Laurie knew Tracy would be heartbroken when they got to the police department only to find that Sandy wasn't coming back with them.

"I know, but she's concerned about Sandy." Shirley walked past her oldest daughter and towards her own room.

"But Mom," Laurie persisted, following her mother closely. "I don't want her to be disappointed."

Shirley paused to look at her. "What do you mean by that?"

"She really likes Sandy. Sandy's her friend. Tracy is going to be heartbroken when we leave Sandy at the police department."

Shirley thought for a moment. "I'm actually not so sure that we will have to."

"What?" Laurie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mother couldn't possibly be considering boarding Sandy until her identity was discovered.

But that was exactly the path Shirley's mind had taken. "Laurie, Sandy's with out a home. If she's a runaway, she'll need some place to stay until her parents are found."

"But Mom," Laurie said again, "What if she's not some helpless, mute girl after all. What is she's just after our fame and fortune and Keith." Laurie knew the last reason sounded silly, but she also knew it wasn't improbable. There had been several occasions where fans had faked problems in order to get some sympathy from Keith.

Shirley smiled, "Laurie, I think you're taking this too far."

"She could be a fortune seeker. It wouldn't be the first time."

"Well, if she is, then it'd be best if she stayed with us. If the whole 'can't speak' thing is a hoax, she won't be able to keep it going forever and I'd like to be around when she slips up."

Laurie wasn't amused. She wanted Sandy as far away from her family as quickly as possible.

"Don't worry so much, Laurie." Her mom placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure we'll figure this all out in time."

Laurie shrugged. She knew it would be pointless to argue, but she was far from convinced.

* * *

Laurie and Keith spent a good fifteen minutes that afternoon arguing over who got to go with Mom, Tracy and Sandy to the police department.

Sandy now wore the dress Laurie had lent her and, though it was slightly shorter than it was supposed to be, Laurie had to admit it didn't look half bad. She was also convinced that Sandy's looks were the force behind Keith's unyielding desire to accompany his mother and sister. Laurie knew he wasn't just trying to get out of baby-sitting the younger boys.

To Laurie's dismay, Keith won the argument and it wasn't long before she was alone in the house. Well, not alone, exactly. Danny and Chris were upstairs sleeping, but she very well could have been alone. The house was so quiet.

Laurie sunk into the couch and picked up a magazine, making note of mentioning how tired her mom looked next time she wanted to go somewhere instead of Keith. After all, it had been Keith's kind offer to drive that had influenced her mother's final decision.

Laurie sighed and threw the magazine off to the side after only a few minutes. She hated waiting. That had been part of her reason for wanting to accompany her mother. Time would slide by much quicker at the police department than waiting for word at home. She debated going to bed, but she wasn't sleepy.

"Hey, Laurie?"

A voice behind her caused her to turn around quickly. Danny stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring at her. "Danny! What are you doing up? I thought you went to bed?"

Instead of answering, Danny crept over to the couch and plopped onto the cushion beside his sister. "I just thought you might like someone to talk to."

Though Laurie knew his motives were probably malicious, she was thankful for the company. "I guess."

Danny sat silently for a minute then said. "Laurie? What do you think of Sandy?"

"She's…" His question surprised her at first, but then Laurie tried to come up with a fitting adjective.

Danny said, "You don't like her."

"I didn't say that!"

"You didn't have to. I don't blame you though. I don't like her either."

Laurie looked to her brother. "You don't?"

Danny didn't say anything.

Laurie turned to him. "Why don't you like Sandy, Danny?"

"I don't know. I just don't. Probably because Keith _does_."

Laurie settled back in her seat. "Keith just thinks she's pretty."

Danny sort of laughed about that.

Laurie looked to him. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." He stood and turned to her. "Maybe I will go to bed now."

Laurie gave him a strange look. "Why didn't you just do that ten minutes ago?"

Danny shrugged. "I thought this conversation would be a bit more interesting."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know. I was just hoping to get you to start listing out everything bad about Sandy. Something I could amuse myself with."

Laurie rolled her eyes.

"Anyways," the redhead turned to leave, "Good luck. I'll see you in the morning."

Laurie watched him go. She should have known his only reason to talk to her would be for his own amusement. She sat on the couch a little longer and then opted to head to bed herself.

* * *

The next morning she wasn't at all surprised to find Sandy snoozing on the couch. She quickly entered the kitchen to find her mother over by the stove frying bacon and eggs.

"Good morning, Laurie." Shirley greeted her and added another slice of bacon to the skillet.

Laurie grabbed an orange out of the fruit bowl at the table and began to peel it. "What time did you get back last night?"

"Nearly midnight. They took down what little information they could from Sandy and are currently searching for her family."

"And you offered to let her stay with us until then."

"I told you before, I would."

Laurie fell silent and concentrated on her orange.

"Anyways," Shirley continued. "After church today, I was going to take Sandy out shopping for some clothes. She doesn't have a thing to wear and I don't want to make you have to share your wardrobe."

Laurie shrugged.

"Maybe you'd like to come along?"

Laurie knew she was acting bratty and she felt bad about it, "Sure. I guess."

She could just see her mother's smile. "Good. Tracy wanted to come too."

"Alright." _Should have guessed._

"Good morning, Mom." Keith entered the room and Laurie turned just in time to see him kiss their mother on the cheek. "Bacon and eggs? Looks good." He walked over to the table and took the seat beside Laurie.

"You sure are happy today." Laurie said.

Keith shrugged. "There's no reason not to be." His voice was unnaturally cheery. Laurie hated it when he got like this. It bugged her. She watched as he also pulled an orange from the fruit bowl and began to peel away at the skin.

Laurie looked to her mother for a clue to Keith's odd mood, but Shirley didn't seem to be paying any attention. Laurie sighed. _I guess I'll never know._

It wasn't long before the rest of the Partridge children joined them. Tracy soon excused herself to go fetch Sandy who had slept in longer than the rest of them. When the two of them returned, they all sat down for breakfast together.

Laurie noticed that Sandy didn't touch the eggs or he bacon and settled on a piece of toast with out anything on it. She thought this strange and decided then that such uninteresting foods were how Sandy kept so trim.

After breakfast, the family parted to prepare for church. Laurie ended up lending Sandy a dress again. It was here Laurie was thankful that her mother would be buying Sandy some new things. She wasn't sure she'd like to lend much more of her clothing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The streets were crowded when Shirley and the girls reached downtown San Pueblo. Laurie thought this odd for a Sunday afternoon until she noticed that all the teenagers seemed to be headed to the same place: San Pueblo Community College.

The convention! Laurie almost hit herself in frustration. She had promised Bess she would be there today, but now here she was going clothes shopping with her mother, sister and some unknown girl. She now regretted her decision and almost asked her mother if she could be excused from the shopping excursion. That was, she almost did, but then they entered a store and Shirley instantly turned to Laurie with a large smile in place.

Laurie smiled back. Her mother was glad she had come. She didn't want to disappoint her. Her mother would expect her to act maturely about these things. Bess would just have to understand. Besides, the convention didn't end until six. It was only two now. Maybe she could head over there after they had shopped?

* * *

The shopping excursion took longer than Laurie had anticipated. At five they were exiting the last store. With all that lay in the bags they carried, Sandy had enough clothes for an entire week long vacation. Most of what Sandy chose had been short summer dresses. Laurie noticed she seemed to be more comfortable in skirts than shorts.

"Well! Why don't we go and grab some dinner and bring it home for the boys?" Asked Shirley when they had returned to the car.

Tracy nodded eagerly, "Can we get tacos?"

Shirley looked skeptical, "I don't know. What do you think, Laurie?"

Laurie figured it was now or never if she was going to get over to the _Save the Whales Convention_. Even if she just got there in time to mumble an apology to Bess and the rest of the gang before they left. "Actually, Mom? I was wondering…"

"Yes?" Shirley paused at the car door waiting for her to continue.

"If maybe I could--- we could get Chinese?" Drat! Why did she do that? She was so close! She should have just asked if she could stop by the convention to see her friends.

Shirley's face brightened. "You know, that's a great idea! Sweet n' sour pork sounds really good to my right now. How about it, girls?" She poked her head in the door to look at Sandy and Tracy in the backseat.

Sandy smiled and Tracy shrugged. "I guess."

"Alright, then Chinese it is!" Shirley slipped into the driver's seat and Laurie soon followed her mother into the car. Well, Keith would be happy. He loved exotic foods. She liked them too, but she would have liked even more to go to the convention.

As Shirley drove to the restaurant, they passed by the campus. Laurie looked out her window at all the teenagers in their _Save the Whales_ t-shirts milling about with their friends handing out fliers to passing civilians. How she wanted to be there too!

When they returned home, Laurie wasn't at all surprised to hear that Bess had called her while she was away.

"Did she sound angry?" Laurie asked her brother as Keith lifted the lids of the various take-out boxes Shirley had spread out on the kitchen counter.

"Not really." Keith shrugged. He looked at his mother. "You didn't get any lemon chicken?"

Shirley smiled knowingly as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel, "It's there."

Keith went back to examining the boxes.

Laurie sighed irately. She knew she probably wouldn't be getting any more information from out of her brother.

"Laurie," Shirley turned to her daughter, "Could you call the kids down for dinner?"

Laurie nodded and then left the kitchen. She decided that she'd call Bess after dinner. After explaining the situation, Laurie was sure Bess would be forgiving. After all, Laurie hadn't planned to find someone like Sandy when they went to the beach.

"Kids! Dinner!" Laurie shouted up the stairs.

"What are we eating?" Danny arrived first with Christ at his heels.

"Chinese."

"Aw man! Why couldn't you have brought home tacos or something?"

Laurie ignored his comment and pushed him towards the kitchen. "Where's Tracy?"

"She and Sandy are coming. They were just hanging up all of Sandy's new clothes in the closet."

Hanging up the clothes? Laurie couldn't help but feel a bit poignant. She knew it was just a simple, tidy gesture, but the symbolism of the act made it seem as if Sandy were going to be staying with them---permanently. Laurie didn't like that.

She called up the stairs again, "Sandy! Tracy! Dinner!"

The two girls soon arrived. Actually, more accurately, the teenager and the girl arrived. Sandy's mannerisms were so child-like, that Laurie kept forgetting Sandy was practically her same age. At least, she looked sixteen.

Soon the whole family gathered together in the kitchen to say grace and then serve themselves up a little bit of everything. Again, Sandy only dished up a few things. Broccoli, rice, and at Tracy's suggestion, some noodles. Luckily, it seemed that this time Shirley also made note of Sandy's strange eating habits.

"Sandy. Don't you want some chicken?" She held up the lemon chicken container that, since Keith had served himself first, had very few pieces left.

Sandy just looked at Mrs. Partridge and smiled.

"She's probably a vegetarian, Mom." Danny mumbled before stuffing a piece of pork into his mouth.

Shirley gave him a warning look.

"Don't worry about it, Mom." Laurie said. "She's probably just a picky eater."

Sandy just kept on smiling as if she were unaware that they were talking about her.

Laurie tried to concentrate on her meal, but found it hard. When she had finally choked down all the noodles and rice, chicken and pork she had on her plate, she walked over to the sick to rinse her dishes and place them in the dishwasher.

"I was thinking…" Chris said. This had been the first time he had spoken all evening, and he instantly had everyone's attention.

"What were you thinking?" Shirley asked.

"Well, tomorrow's school, right?"

"Right. It's Monday. We always go to school on Mondays." Danny said in an are-you-stupid sort of manner that earned a frown from Shirley.

"Well, where is Sandy going to go?"

Laurie looked to Sandy. Good question. They'd all be at school the next day and Shirley usually did chores. Laurie knew Sandy wouldn't much enjoy doing laundry and sweeping floors, but could she really go to school with them?

"That's a very good question, Chris." Shirley looked to Sandy. "How about it, Sandy? Would you like to go to school?"

Sandy just smiled back.

Tracy spoke up. "She could go with me."

"Yeah, and be picked on by all the second graders? I don't' think so." Danny dished himself up some more pork.

Tracy frowned.

"If she's going to school at all, she'll go with Keith and Laurie to the high school." Shirley stated firmly.

Keith's face brightened. "Sure, Mom. She's practically the same age as Laurie. She can go to classes with the both of us."

Laurie frowned. Sandy? At high school? She wasn't sure if she liked that idea.

"That's alright with you, isn't it, Laurie?" Her mother turned to her.

Laurie forced a smile, "Sure, Mom. Sandy can come to school with me." She couldn't believe she had said it. She really needed to start speaking up for herself.

"Good. I'll call the school first thing tomorrow morning and explain the situation."

Keith grinned at Sandy and Sandy returned the smile. Laurie's frown deepened. Sandy at their high school? She knew it only meant one thing. Trouble. And this one was spelt in _all_ capital letters!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

School the next morning started very much as Laurie had expected. As soon as she and Keith entered through the front doorway of San Pueblo High, they were surrounded by friends asking all sorts of questions involving Sandy. Luckily, both Keith and Laurie had decided on their way to the school to introduce Sandy as an exchange student who couldn't speak English. They knew this would be a rather flimsy cover considering Sandy understood English very well, but they could only hope no one would notice.

"What country?" Asked Alice, a short brunette whom, besides Bess, was one of Laurie's closest friends.

Laurie looked to Keith. What country? They hadn't discussed that.

"Greece." Keith said without pause.

"Greece? Oh my! How exciting!" Rachel, a girl from Keith's English class, looked to Sandy. "You must be an artist then! Or have a love of sculpture?"

Sandy only smiled. Laurie saw this as a good sign. As long as Sandy was enjoying herself, there shouldn't be any problems. She was unsure about the Greek cover though. Sandy didn't look Greek at all. Maybe German, or French or even Russian, but not Greek.

"How long is she staying with your family?" Another girl asked.

"A couple weeks."

Laurie decided to let Keith answer all the questions. She determined it would be better this way. Then she could keep track of the information Keith gave and correct him if he started mixing his facts.

"Laurie?" Laurie turned to see Bess coming towards her. "We need to talk." She didn't look happy.

"O-okay." Laurie nodded feebly and she and Bess walked off to the side of the hallway, against the lockers.

Bess instantly addressed the problem at hand. "Where were you yesterday? Why didn't you call?" She looked annoyed and Laurie didn't blame her, after all, she had planned on calling, but she had forgotten.

"I got hung up on family things. I'm sorry, Bess. You're right. I should have called you. I just forgot."

"Laurie, common courtesy shouldn't be forgotten and for another thing," Bess glanced at Sandy, "You never told me your family was sponsoring an exchange student!"

Laurie shrugged. She couldn't very well say she had forgotten about that. "Well, you know how things are…"

Bess gave her another one of those annoyed looks. "Just don't let it happen again!" Her voice softened, "We really could have used you at the convention yesterday."

"I'm sorry I didn't come. Does it continue today?"

"No. It was just a weekend thing."

Laurie thought for a moment. "You don't have any leftover t-shits do you?"

"A couple."

"Could I have one?" She didn't really feel like she deserved one, but she wanted one just the same. Wearing it could be her act of support.

Bess thought awhile before answering, "I'll think about it." She turned. "Just remember what I said about common courtesy." And then with a swish of her brown hair, she returned to the group.

Laurie watched her go. She couldn't tell if Bess was still angry with her or what. She decided to let it go for the time being. She'd see Bess again at lunch, and right now had bigger things to worry about. She and Keith still hadn't decided who's first period class Sandy was going to. Laurie had English and Keith had Math. She wasn't sure which one Sandy would enjoy most.

"Keith." She followed Bess back over to the group and tugged on her brother's arm, just as the bell rang and their group of friends began to disperse.

"What is it?" He turned to her.

She pointed at the clock. "First period's going to start soon. Do you want to take Sandy with you, or should I take her with me?"

"Where do you go first?"

"English."

Keith didn't look happy. "I'll take her to math with me, then. English class may make her feel uncomfortable."

Laurie hated to admit it, but what he said made sense. If Sandy couldn't write, she would be awfully embarrassed in English class. Especially since they were currently writing poetry. "Okay." She agreed. "Then we can meet in the hall between the next two classes and she can come with me."

"Why don't we meet at lunch? I don't have English until the afternoon anyways."

Laurie agreed. "See you at lunch then?"

"Okay."

"And Keith?"

"Hm?"

"Keep an eye on Sandy."

* * *

Keith and Sandy arrived late to the cafeteria that afternoon. Laurie watched from her table with her friends, as Keith entered and brought Sandy through the lunch line.

"So…" When Laurie turned back to her friends, Bess was speaking. "I thought the convention was such a success last weekend that maybe we could do another one next month?"

"Which weekend?" Asked Danielle.

"The first. If we did a convention the first weekend of every month, we would surly escalate the awareness of the public!"

"Isn't that a little pushy?"

"No. We're not right in anyone's face. We're just passing out flyers."

Danielle looked skeptical and so did Alice.

"Hi, all." Keith arrived then with Sandy. "I thought Sandy might like to sit with some girls at lunch. You three wouldn't mind would you?"

Sandy smiled and so did Bess.

"Not at all," Bess said. "It's understood."

"Thanks." Keith pulled out a chair for Sandy before he left to sit at his own table with his own friends.

Sandy took a seat in the chair, placing her food tray on the table. Laurie made note of her selections. Green salad, water and cherry Jell-O. Laurie was sure the third had been a suggestion from her brother.

"He's so cute." Danielle was saying as Laurie tuned back into the conversation.

"Who?" She asked dumbly.

"Your brother."

Laurie made a face. She hated being related to the local heartthrob. You never heard the end of it.

"Enough about him!" Said Bess, "Focus, girls! The convention!"

But Laurie didn't want to talk about it anymore. It just made her feel worse that she had missed it. "How's your day going, Sandy?" She said softly to the mute girl as Bess continued to rattle on about her plans.

Sandy turned to her and smiled.

Laurie smiled back. _Well, she's still smiling. That should be a good sign._

"Hey, Sandy!" A group of girls Laurie didn't recognize waved as they passed by with their own lunch trays.

Sandy waved back.

"Friends of yours?" Laurie asked her and Sandy smiled again. Laurie made note to ask her brother about the events of the first three class periods when they got home that evening. From the looks of things, school was a grand success as far as Sandy was concerned. Laurie only hoped it would last.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Sandy didn't seem to get bored until sixth period: Algebra. Laurie suspected it had to do with the fact that she had already been to a math class. During notes, she glanced at Sandy who was staring out the window, daydreaming. Laurie couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about.

"Any questions?"

Laurie looked up as her teacher addressed the group. He scanned the crowd, his eyes settling on Sandy who was still staring out the window.

"Sandy?"

Sandy quickly looked over at him.

"Did you get the assignment?"

Laurie spoke quickly. "She's not too good at English, Mr. Howard. Don't worry, I'll make sure she gets it."

Mr. Howard nodded and Laurie quickly scribbled down the book assignment. She then tapped Sandy on the shoulder. Sandy looked to her.

"You're going to have to pay attention more." Laurie whispered to her. She pushed a book towards her and opened it to the correct page. "Now do number one through eighteen here." She pointed with her finger.

Sandy looked at her, puzzled.

"You mean you don't do mathematics?"

Sandy looked at her in confusion. Laurie was now convinced this girl had come from the moon. She didn't know how to write and she didn't know how to do math? Laurie decided to talk to her mother about this. School wasn't a place for a girl like Sandy. At least not high school. Sandy needed to learn the basics of mathematics and reading before she could understand things at a high school level. It concerned Laurie that she didn't already know these things and she began to wonder if Sandy were a victim of amnesia.

Sandy returned to her daydreaming and Laurie turned to her assignment. She'd need to talk to her mother about this after school. Things couldn't go on as they were. Sandy couldn't daydream through all her classes and expect to make it in high school, not even for a short while.

* * *

After school, some friends invited Laurie and Keith for tacos. Laurie pushed Keith to go and to bring Sandy. She told him she would see them at home giving homework as her excuse. A lie, Laurie knew, having finished almost all of it at school, but Laurie couldn't think about tacos at a time like this! All she could think about was getting home and talking to her mother.

But Shirley wasn't home when Laurie got there and soon the younger three showed up and still no Shirley. Laurie soon found a letter in the kitchen. Shirley had gone to the store and would be back at dinner. Laurie wasn't sure if she could wait that long.

"Where's Sandy?" Tracy asked, coming through the door.

"With Keith at _Scooby's_." Laurie said. _Scooby's _was the high school kid's favorite taco joint. Laurie and her friends often went there for a snack after school.

"No fair! They're eating tacos?" Danny entered the kitchen then with Chris at his heels.

"Can I go too?" Asked Tracy.

"No. We should stay here." Laurie crumpled up the letter her mother had left in her hand and snatched an orange out of a nearby fruit bowl.

"Where's Mom?" Asked Chris.

"She's at the store." Laurie began to peel the orange, "Why don't' you three grab a snack and then go do your homework?"

"I'm going to do mine after dinner."

"You'll do it now, Danny."

"Okay, okay. Fine."

Laurie watched as her three siblings each grabbed an apple and marched out of the room. She wasn't really sure if they'd get to their homework or not, but she could only hope.

She soon settled down in the family room to work on her homework herself. An hour later, Sandy and Keith came through the front door.

"Hey, Laurie." Keith greeted her.

"Have fun?" Laurie asked although she already knew they had, seeing the smiles on their faces.

Keith plopped down on the couch next to her. "Sure. Sandy fits in great with the gang. They don't even care that she doesn't talk."

Sandy, still smiling, sat on Laurie's other side.

"Speaking of…" Laurie lowered her voice, "You never told me how the first half of the school day went."

Keith shrugged. "It went fine."

"Did Sandy do any work?"

"No… I guess not."

Keith and Laurie both turned to Sandy. Sandy smiled back at them. Laurie figured she wasn't aware that they had been talking about her.

"I have an idea." Keith said and Laurie looked back to her brother.

"What's your idea?"

"Why don't we teach Sandy how to read and write and solve basic math? We could do it Laurie."

Laurie thought for a minute. "I don't know..."

"Come on. Laurie. Remember when you helped Mom teach Tracy how to read? It'll be just like that! I mean, think of Sandy…"

Laurie had been trying to forget about Sandy. Here she was, wanting to persuade her mother to send Sandy to some special classes and Keith wanted to tutor Sandy up to grade level. She couldn't please everybody. She had to choose which to do.

"Laurie?"

"Okay." Laurie agreed. "I'll help you tutor Sandy."

Keith grinned.

"But, under one condition."

"Name it."

"You can't stick me with all the teaching. You have to help too."

"Hey, it was my brilliant idea, of course I'll help!"

Laurie rolled her eyes. _Brothers._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

All that week, Laurie and Keith spent their afternoons tutoring Sandy. Sandy seemed to take each lesson seriously and by the time Saturday wrapped around, both Laurie and her brother, saw some radical improvement.

"I told you this was a good idea." Said Keith Saturday evening as he and Laurie sat in front of the television with the rest of the family.

Laurie didn't comment. She looked over to the couch where her mother sat with the younger children. Sandy sat on the floor nearby with a book she had borrowed from Tracy. It looked as if Sandy enjoyed reading the best out of the remaining school subjects. Laurie was glad to see her reading. It let her know Sandy was making an additional effort to learn more and as far as Laurie was concerned, the more Sandy learned, the better.

"You know…" Keith continued talking to her. "I'll bet soon we can ask her to write out the answers to our questions about her past."

"Keith, you don't learn penmanship overnight."

"I know, but she's been making great progress…"

"She can write her name."

"That's not all. She's been writing other things too."

"Keith 'see Jane run' isn't going to give us an explanation."

He shrugged. "Okay, so maybe we still have a ways to wait. But you have to admit, she's learning quick."

Laurie nodded. Not only was she learning academics quick, she was also making her own friends at the high school. Laurie barely saw Sandy at lunch any more.

At eight, Shirley sent the younger children to bed. Sandy went to tuck in Tracy and Laurie headed for the kitchen to finish putting away the dishes leftover from dinner. Keith, to Laurie's surprise, followed to help.

"Hey, kids?" Shirley entered the kitchen and smiled at her two oldest. "Could we talk?"

"Sure, Mom. What's on your mind?"

Shirley took a seat at the table and soon Keith and Laurie joined her. "It's about Sandy..."

Keith and Laurie exchanged worried glances.

"Did they find her folks?" Keith asked and Shirley shook her head.

"No. The police station called me this morning. They're still looking."

Laurie and Keith both nodded. _Too bad._ Laurie thought.

"But anyways, I just wanted to say that I'm really proud of you kids and all you're doing for Sandy. I noticed you two were helping her with her schoolwork?"

Keith shrugged. "Well, we just want to help…"

Shirley smiled at him and took one of his and Laurie's hands in hers, squeezing them affectionately. "Yes, and I'm very proud of both of you. I know it hasn't been easy including Sandy into all of your plans."

Laurie half-smiled. "Well, Mom. We're just doing what you would do in our place."

Shirley nodded.

"Well, if that's all. May I be excused? I have a little studying I want to do before I go to bed." Keith asked.

"Almost." Said Shirley, "Tomorrow, as both of you know, is a concert and we're going to have to bring Sandy."

Laurie nodded, "Does Rueben know about her yet?"

"He will. I just wanted to know if you think Sandy would sit through the whole concert?"

Keith and Laurie both exchanged glances.

"Gee, Mom. How would we know?" Said Keith.

"Well, I just thought you may know because you two seem to spend the most time with her." Shirley paused before continuing, "Does she sit still in class?"

Keith and Laurie nodded in unison.

"Sits very still and stares out the window mostly." Said Laurie and then finally, the words she had been trying to say all week, suddenly tumbled from her mouth, "Actually, she doesn't do much of anything in school, but sit and listen. I don't think she should be in high school, Mom."

Shirley seemed surprised. "What do you mean? Keith?" She turned to her oldest.

Keith sighed. "Laurie's kind of right, Mom. Sandy doesn't do much in class and that's because I don't think she knows how."

Shirley looked befuddled.

"That's why we've been helping her with schoolwork." Said Laurie quickly. "We've been trying to teach her the basics so that she can get along better in school with us."

"You mean she knows nothing?"

Just then, Sandy entered the kitchen. Everyone turned to her.

"Sandy," Said Mrs. Partridge. She looked from Keith to Laurie and then added. "We were just talking. Maybe you'd like to sit with us?"

Sandy nodded and smiled. She took a seat beside Keith.

"Well," Continued Shirley. She looked to Sandy and smiled. "We were just talking about school, Sandy. Do you like school?"

Sandy nodded quickly.

"And what do you do at school, Sandy?"

Sandy looked at Keith and then Laurie. Laurie knew she wanted one of them to answer for her, but Laurie decided to let her communicate on her own. Sandy could tell Shirley what she did at school.

Once Sandy realized she wasn't getting any help she began to mime with her hands. It all looked like a foreign language to Laurie, but Shirley smiled and nodded.

"Well! That sounds interesting."

Laurie and Keith exchanged glances. Their mother had actually caught that?

"There's something else, Sandy. We're having a concert tomorrow. Would you like to come?"

Sandy nodded earnestly.

_Well,_ thought Laurie. _At least she knows what a concert is_.

"Okay…"

Everyone then rose from the table. Keith excused himself for studying and Laurie walked with her mother and Sandy to the stairs.

"Goodnight, Mom." Laurie gave her mother a hug.

"Goodnight, girls."

Laurie trekked up the stairs with Sandy at her heels. Sandy still walked rather awkwardly and Laurie cringed each time she tripped. Laurie just shook her head.

Something was seriously wrong with that girl and Laurie was determined to figure out what.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Sunday evening, everyone got ready for the concert. Rueben arrived at the house around six and Laurie quickly rushed to answer the door.

"Where's your mother?" He asked strutting into the residence without waiting for an invitation.

"She's upstairs." Laurie replied, closing the door behind him. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Rueben turned to her. "Is something wrong? Is something wrong? You're mother expects me to take a teenaged runaway to a concert and you're asking me if something's wrong?"

_Sandy._ Laurie thought. _Mom must have already told him_. But a part of Rueben's outburst still troubled her. Did he know something they didn't? "Teenaged runaway?"

"Yeah, you know that girl your mother took in." The flustered manager took a seat on the couch and crossed his arms across his chest.

"She's a teenaged runaway? Where did you hear that?" Laurie sat beside him.

"Well? What else could she be?"

Okay, so he didn't know that for a fact. Laurie sighed in relief.

"Rueben. You're early!" Shirley came down the stairs then, the rest of the children following behind. Laurie didn't see Sandy or Tracy and figured they were still both getting ready.

Ruben rose. "Alright? Where is she?"

Shirley took a deep breath and walked over to the manager. "Are you still upset?"

"Shirley, she's a teenaged runaway. She's probably out for fame and fortune! We let her into a _Partridge Family_ concert for free and I swear there will be no getting rid of her!"

"Rueben, be reasonable…"

"You're way off the mark!" Keith added hastily. He joined his mother at Rueben's side. "Sandy's a perfectly nice girl! She's not out for our money. She probably wouldn't even know how to count it!"

Rueben looked confused and Laurie suppressed a smile.

"Not even be able to count it?" He directed his comment at Keith.

"Well, yeah… you see…"

Just then, Sandy and Tracy came down the stairs. "We're ready!" Tracy said bounding down the stairs and over to the rest. Sandy followed closely behind, all smiles and wearing one of the dressed Shirley had bought her.

Ruben's eyebrows raised in surprise. Laurie could almost hear his thoughts: _That's _the runaway?

"Oh, Rueben. You haven't yet met our houseguest." Said Laurie, smiling smugly. "Rueben Kincaid? This is Sandy."

Sandy smiled and Rueben just stared, and then he frowned. He looked back to Shirley.

Shirley just resumed the conversation with her usual cheeriness, "Well? Shall we get to that concert?"

Rueben was still frowning but he nodded. "Alright. Let's go." Laurie figured he wouldn't say no to her mother, especially while he still _trying_ to be suspicious of Sandy. Laurie knew that wouldn't last long though. Sandy was nice. She got along with everybody.

Soon, the family was piled into the bus with Shirley at the wheel. This time Keith sat beside Sandy. "You look nice." Laurie heard him whisper to her.

Laurie frowned.

Tracy tugged at Keith's sleeve. "Let me sit with Sandy." She said.

Keith could do nothing but surrender the seat to his little sister. Laurie smirked at him and he rolled his eyes, falling into the seat in front of her.

"Everyone ready?" Shirley turned around in her seat to address the group as the doors to the bus closed. She was rewarded with a chorus of yeses and soon the bus was on the road and heading towards the concert hall.

* * *

When they got to the hall that afternoon, Shirley hastily found a seat in the audience for Sandy. Laurie followed her mother, just in case she needed help.

"Alright, Sandy." Mrs. Partridge smiled as Sandy sunk into the seat in the front row. "I want you to stay here until I come back for you, is that understood?"

Sandy nodded and Laurie felt satisfied that it _was_ understood and Sandy wouldn't be going anywhere.

Shirley nodded and then turned to Laurie. "Okay, I'll let Rueben know where she is and head back to the dressing rooms."

Laurie nodded. "I'll meet you there in a bit."

Shirley squeezed her shoulder and then left to find Rueben. Laurie sat beside Sandy, who acted as if she were glued to the seat, but allowed her eyes to wander around the empty auditorium.

"Sandy…"

Sandy's eyes turned to her.

"Um… you do know other people are going to be coming in here soon, so don't worry about it and if you have any trouble… um…" Laurie was about to advise the girl scream for help but knew that was impossible. "Just make as much commotion as you can."

Sandy looked confused.

Laurie sighed. "Never mind." She got up. "I'll catch you later. Okay? Enjoy the concert." Laurie turned and headed for the stage. She soon found the dressing room and slipped inside. Her family was already straightening the final touches on their costumes. Laurie fell into a chair in front of one of the mirrors.

"Where's Sandy?" Keith came over to her and took the seat beside his sister.

"In the auditorium. Mom's got her sworn on oath to stay seated."

"Then why are you worried?"

"I'm not worried."

"Come on, Laurie. It's written all over your face!"

Laurie hated it when her brother was right, but she had to admit she was worried. She was worried about leaving Sandy in that big auditorium to sit with hundreds of strangers she didn't even know. As much as Laurie hated it, having had Sandy around for over a week and caused Laurie to feel somewhat like a big sister to Sandy and that came with feeling responsible for the girl. "I guess I'm just a little worried about how Sandy will react around all those strangers."

Keith shrugged, "I wouldn't worry about it, Laurie. She did just fine at school."

He had a point. But at school, Sandy had been with either she or Keith the entire time. Out in the auditorium, Sandy was alone.

Soon, Rueben came in to tell them it was time to start the show. Laurie and her family followed their manager out onto the stage and stood by their instruments. They could hear the eager buzz of the audience coming from the other side of the curtain.

Shirley looked at all her children and gave them each an encouraging smile. Laurie smiled back though she was still feeling a little uneasy. The audience sounds soon diminished as the announcer came on stage and no more then two minutes later, the curtain raised and the family started with their first song, _I Think I Love You_.

Through the entire concert, Laurie played her best and watched Sandy in the audience. Sandy sat squished between two men in business suits. Laurie found the men strange company to be attending their concert. Usually, their audience was composed of hundreds of screaming teenagers, kids and their parents, but these two men appeared to be alone.

However, as the concert progressed, Laurie saw something more alarming as she watched her brother. His eyes didn't seem to leave Sandy for a minute and Laurie couldn't decide if it was because he worried about her too, or if he was falling for another girl again. Laurie hoped it was the first. She couldn't imagine continuing helping Sandy with school if Keith were more then casually attracted to their student. It would just be too awkward.

After the last chord was played, the audience stood up and applauded. Laurie bowed with the rest of the group and soon the curtain was dropped. They headed back to their dressing room and changed into some street clothes they had brought along. They had found it was easier to slip away after concerts if they were dressed more casually.

Shirley soon excused herself to go fetch Sandy. Laurie would have gone along, but she was already helping Tracy get out of her dress and into a pair of blue denim overalls. Moments later, the family was dressed, but Shirley still hadn't returned. Laurie was getting worried. She looked to Keith. "Shouldn't Mom be back by now?"

Keith nodded. "I'll go see if I can find her."

Laurie nodded.

"I'll go with you, Keith." Said Danny.

Keith didn't look happy about the idea, but didn't say 'no' either. Soon he and Danny exited the dressing room, leaving Laurie alone with Tracy and Chris.

"Where's Sandy?" Tracy asked her sister.

Laurie patted her shoulder. "She'll be here soon."

The door opened and the three Partridges looked to the door. Shirley entered looking tired and forlorn. Keith and Danny followed closely behind.

"Where's Sandy?" Laurie rose from her seat.

Shirley shook her head in a not-now sort of way. Laurie didn't know what to expect, but she knew something was wrong.

"Mommy!" Tracy ran up to her mother. "Where's Sandy? It's time to go home now."

Shirley gripped her youngest shoulder and stooped down. "Sandy's not coming home with us tonight, Tracy. She… she had somewhere else she needed to go."

Laurie didn't like how that sounded and she looked to Keith for a clue. Keith wore the same solemn expression his mother had, and surprisingly, so did Danny. What was going on?

Laurie didn't get her answer until they were all piled back into the bus. Keith sat beside her and took her hand.

"What's going on?" She asked him.

"Sandy's missing." Keith said, giving her hand a comforting squeeze.

Laurie looked at him. "Missing?"

"She wasn't in the audience when Mom went to look. She searched the whole premises with Rueben and the auditorium manager and then called the police. That's what took so long."

For some reason, Laurie's mind drifted back to the two men in the business suits. Sandy was missing? Could she have been kidnapped? Had those two men, so out of place, have been the kidnappers?

"Did she run away?" Laurie asked, trying to search all possibilities first.

Keith shrugged.

"Well, she could have just wandered off?"

"I don't know Laurie. All I remember was that she was there when the curtain went down and then five minutes later, she was gone."

Laurie nodded. It was the same with her story. Sandy had been there at the concert and then now she wasn't.

Moments later, Shirley entered the bus herself and closed the door. Without her usually cheery word, she started the engine and drove for home. Laurie couldn't help but glue her eyes to the window and look at every car they passed for any sign of Sandy or her kidnappers.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

A week passed, and there was still no sign of Sandy. Laurie was getting increasingly worried and she also saw the same sort of emotion on the face of her mother and siblings. Everyone was worried, even Rueben had been actively helping in the search. Sandy just seemed to have disappeared.

"Here one day, gone the next." Keith said Friday afternoon, juggling a baseball. He and the rest of the Partridge family had just finished practicing for the day and most of them ha_d gone inside to play Monopoly_.Now, only Keith and Laurie remained in the garage.

"Are you talking about Sandy?" Laurie asked him.

"Yeah…" Keith caught the baseball and held it for a while. "Just seems kind of strange to me. Her going missing and all and then the police can't find any leads to her or her parents."

"Kind of makes you wonder if she ever existed, huh?" Said Laurie.

"Yeah…" Keith began tossing the baseball again. The constant pat-pat of it bouncing off the garage ceiling and falling back into his hand began to annoy Laurie.

"Hey, Keith!" She said tensely and Keith stopped tossing the ball.

"What?"

Laurie took a deep breath. "Um… Could you stop tossing that thing? It's bugging me."

Keith shrugged and tossed the object into a nearby box.

"Thank you."

They sat silently for a moment and Laurie soon found herself plunking out a few keys on the piano. Keith listened silently and thoughtfully for a moment and then held up his hand.

"I've got it!"

"What?" Laurie stopped playing and looked to him.

"I've got an idea."

"An idea? About what?"

"About how to find Sandy."

Laurie looked at him intensely, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't she offered an interested, "Well?"

"Why don't we persuade Mom to take us back to the beach?"

"The beach? Why?"

"Because that's where we first found Sandy, right?"

"Right?" Laurie wasn't sure if she followed. Her brother was a mystery through-and-through.

"Well, maybe if we go there and find some clue as to _where_ she came from, maybe we can figure out _where_ she has gone?" Keith looked at her waiting for an answer.

"Alright…" Laurie had yet to tell anybody about the two mysterious men she had seen at the concert. She had kept quiet about it, worried that she might be wrong in her suspicions, but now she almost wondered if she should tell her brother about them. "But…" She continued, "…why do we have to bring the whole family?"

"Because we need Tracy and I doubt Mom would believe it if I told her I was taking you and Tracy camping for the weekend."

Laurie almost laughed at her brother's tactics. "Okay, so we persuade Mom to take us back to the beach, then what?"

"We persuade Tracy to take us back to where she found Sandy."

Laurie nodded, "But how can we do that without Mom knowing?"

"We'll tell her we're taking a walk."

"She'll want to come with."

"True…"

Just then, Danny entered the garage. "Oops! Sorry. Didn't know you two were still in here."

Laurie and Keith exchanged glances then, both happening upon the same idea.

"Wait a minute, Danny…" Keith rose from the chair and wandered over to his younger brother at the doorway.

"What?" Danny frowned at him.

Keith laughed nervously. "Um… did I ever tell you how…um… impeccably intelligent you are?"

Laurie knew Keith was lying through his teeth and so did Danny. He frowned. "Alright, Keith. What do you want?"

"A favor."

Danny grinned, "A favor huh? Well then… it's going to cost you…"

This time it was Keith's turn to frown. "How much?"

"Depends on the favor."

It is here, Laurie decided to step in. "Actually, Danny dear, all we need you to do is keep Mom's attention for a little bit when we go to the beach tomorrow."

"We're going to the beach tomorrow?" Asked Danny.

"Sure…" Keith replied, then added. "I just have to ask Mom first."

Danny looked from one sibling to another. "Alright, what's in it for me?"

"The satisfaction that you helped your older sister and brother."

Danny shook his head. "Try again."

"I'll buy you an ice-cream cone." Keith tried.

Danny rolled his eyes. "That may work on, Chris, Keith. But that ain't working on me!"

"A shame…" Laurie said, coming up with an idea. "Looks like we may just have to tell Mom about that report card then. Hey, Danny?"

Danny paled. "What report card?"

Laurie and Keith exchanged satisfied glances. "That's what we thought…"


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

The Partridge Family arrived at the beach early Saturday morning. Not many people had yet arrived at the beach and Shirley suggested that they set up a spot closer to the parking lot. Though they wanted to set up in the same place as before, Laurie and Keith complied with her request and instantly began helping with beach blankets and the umbrella.

Soon, everything was set up. Danny and Chris soon headed for the water to swim after being fully smothered in sunscreen. Laurie and Keith lay about on their towels and Tracy went for the sand. Shirley watched her children for a moment before turning back to her book.

Laurie looked to Keith. He seemed to be thinking. The radio sat untouched and off to the side. She hoped he was trying to come up with a way for them to get away from the rest.

Keith looked up and spotted Laurie staring at him. Laurie raised her eyebrows in what she hoped was a 'well' sort of way.

"I'm thinking." Keith said.

"Thinking? About what?" Asked Shirley as she turned the page of her book.

Laurie and Keith exchanged glances and then they both looked at their mother.

"Thinking that I want to take a walk along the beach." Keith said quickly. "How about some company, Laurie?"

Laurie looked to him. "Oh… sure." She and Keith stood up. Laurie just waited for her mother to ask if she could come too, but she stayed silent.

"Um… this way." Keith said and began walking off towards Tracy.

"Have a good time." Said Shirley.

Laurie hastily scampered after her brother. Well! So far so good! She was pleasantly surprised her mother hadn't insisted on coming along. Now all they needed was to get Tracy to come along.

That seemed like an easy task as far as Keith was concerned, for by the time Laurie got over to where Tracy had begun building a sandcastle Keith had already got her up on her feet and was explaining something.

"But Mom said that Sandy had to go someplace." Said Tracy, hands on her hips.

"Yeah," Said Keith. "But aren't you curious where she went? Maybe you could show us where you found her? Perhaps her house is nearby and we could stop in to say 'hi'."

Keith's reasoning sounded stupid to Laurie.

"But she doesn't live here. That's why she had to live with us."

Laurie stepped in. "Hey, Tracy. How comes the sandcastle?"

Tracy looked up at her. "Okay. Are you going to help me now?"

Laurie looked to Keith. Keith shrugged.

"How about we make a deal?" Said Laurie. It felt unnatural saying such a thing that before had only escaped the lips of her younger brother. "You show Keith and I where you found sandy and then we can come back here and help you build your sandcastle?" Laurie wasn't much in the mood to make a sandcastle, but she figured a bargain was the only way she and Keith could get Tracy to show them where Sandy came from.

"Okay!" Tracy was quick in her answer. She then took Keith by the hand and began tugging him off towards the cliffs.

"Wait just a minute!" Laurie directed. "I've got something to do first!" She raced down to the water where Danny and Christ were swimming. She called out to them. "Hey, Danny!"

Danny stopped splashing his brother and looked to her. "What?"

"You know what, now come on and be quick!" She hoped he would get the message: _Get up here and distract mom, we're making out getaway_. Chris looked puzzled, but Laurie only turned around and returned to her older brother, waiting until Danny had gotten out of the water before speaking. "Okay, let's go."

Tracy again began pulling at Keith, showing him the way. Laurie followed behind, but not before sneaking a glance over her shoulder to make sure her mother was occupied. Danny had returned to the towels and, as promised, had completely captivated Shirley's attention by faking some sort of ailment. Laurie only hoped he'd be able to keep her busy long enough to give them time to go down the beach and get back before they were missed. She only hoped.

* * *

The place Tracy led them to wasn't too far away from the spot where Keith and Laurie had first saw Sandy walking along with the youngest Partridge. It was a white stretch of sand that had a beautiful view of the ocean. Several rocks in the water enclosed a small pool of water that Laurie thought looked just perfect for swimming.

"Here." Said Tracy, when she stopped walking.

Keith looked around. "Right here? This is where you found Sandy? Are you sure?"

Tracy nodded. "Right here."

Keith looked to Laurie, but Laurie shrugged. "Let's have a look around." Keith nodded ad they began to walk around the small stretch of sand.

Laurie ventured a little father and climbed onto some rocks where she found something caught partially underwater. She reached in a pulled out a sopping wet beach towel. Sandy's? "Hey, Keith!" She called and Keith was soon at her side.

"What is it?"

She showed him the beach towel.

"Who do you think it belongs to?"

"I don't know. I was thinking Sandy. But maybe that's a little farfetched?"

"Maybe." Keith took the towel from her and looked at it. It wasn't any different then the ones they themselves brought to the beach. In fact, Laurie remembered seeing the very same type being sold at a shop in town earlier that year. "Well, whoever's it is, it isn't very old."

"You're right. I saw that same towel at a store in San Pueblo last summer."

"That was only a couple months ago."

"That means that who ever dropped it, dropped it in the last few months?"

Keith nodded.

"Hey!"

They whirled around at the sound of a third voice. They looked over on to the beach to see Tracy glaring at them, her hands on her hips.

"What is it, Tracy?" Keith yelled to her.

"When are we going back to build my castle?"

Keith looked to Laurie and shook his head. Laurie suppressed a smile. "Soon, Tracy." She called back. "Just give us a few more minutes." She stood up then and Keith followed. They walked off the rocks and down over to the other side where they were met with another stretch of sand. But that wasn't all.

"Look up there!" Said Laurie, shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked up and saw the house sitting atop the cliff. Her gaze wandered down the rock face where she saw a set of wooden stairs leading down from the top. It seemed to be some kind of estate complete with private access to the beach.

"Looks like some sort of mansion." Said Keith, following her gaze.

"Do you think…?" Laurie let her voice trail off as she looked to her brother.

"Maybe. Let's go have a look."

"But what about Tracy?"

Keith looked back at her. "You're right. We shouldn't leave her here. We'll take her with us."

"Let's take her back. We can always come down here later by ourselves. There's sure to be a road leading up to that place. We can come back later."

Keith nodded. "Okay. But the sooner the better." He began making his way back down the rocks. Laurie followed and when they got to the bottom, they each took Tracy's hand and led her back to the others; both owing that they would return at the first opportunity.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

It wasn't until the next day, after church, that Keith and Laurie had the opportunity to return to the beach and the mansion. Keith told Shirley that he and Laurie were going to a movie. The younger kids had wanted to come too, but when they found out what the older two were seeing, they instantly opted out.

"A nature film? On sea animals?" Danny looked skeptically at his two older siblings as Laurie and Keith each pulled on a jacket.

"Why not?" Replied Keith. "May as well learn something if you're going to the movie theater."

"Yeah, but since when have you been interested in aquatic animals?"

Shirley entered the room then, saving Keith from answering. "You two have fun." She said. "What time do you think you'll be back?"

Keith thought for a moment. "Well, you know those nature films, Mom. Could be an hour or even two…"

"We'll be back before dinner." Laurie promised.

"Alright." Shirley smiled at the both of them. "Have fun."

Laurie and Keith left the house and headed for the bus. Once they climbed aboard, Laurie looked to her brother. "Am I the only one who feels like Danny isn't the only one who doesn't believe we're going where we _said _we are going?"

Keith closed the bus door and started up the engine. "Laurie, Laurie, Laurie. You worry too much."

"Well, you have to admit, Keith. It is quite out of the ordinary for you and me to ditch the rest of the family to go see some nature film about the undersea world."

"Well, there's a first time for everything." He paused as he pulled onto the road. "Besides, I couldn't come up with anything else."

Laurie laughed.

"Hey, cut me some slack. I didn't see you coming up with anything!"

But Laurie continued to laugh at him and laugh she did for miles upon miles down the road.

* * *

"This it?"

About an hour later Keith pulled the bus to a stop by a large gate. They could see the mansion over in the distance.

"Looks like it and it's at the right location."

Keith parked the bus on the side of the road and he and Laurie got out. "How do we get in?"

Laurie shrugged. "There isn't a guardhouse. Maybe there's a telephone or an intercom system connected to the gate?"

"Let's go look."

They walked over to the gate and searched the brick walls and iron doors for a button. None was found. Laurie was discouraged.

"We could climb the gate?" Suggested Keith.

"Keith! That's illegal! Besides, we don't even know for sure if this place is attached to Sandy in any way. It's just speculation!"

Keith frowned. "But Laurie, what if Sandy is in there!"

"We have no reason to believe that."

Keith headed back towards the bus.

"Wait! Where are you going?!"

"I have an idea." Keith climbed back into the bus and sat in the driver's seat. Laurie soon claimed the seat behind him.

"What's your idea?"

"You'll see."

"You're not going to do something crazy are you?"

Keith closed the bus door. "Just trust me."

* * *

Keith's idea ended up being not as crazy as Laurie had anticipated. Keith didn't climb the fence, nor did he try to drive through it with the bus. He ended up driving down to the beach and parking, getting out and trekking down the sand to where they had stood the day before. The beach towel was still where they had left it and Keith picked it up as they walked by.

"What are you doing with that?"

"We need a reason for trespassing." Keith climbed down from the rocks and, as Laurie had anticipated, headed for the wooden steps leading down from the cliff. Laurie thought it weird that an estate would go through all the trouble setting up a gate and yet have a stairway leading down to the beach where there was private access. It just didn't make any sense.

"Are they safe?" Laurie watched nervously as her brother began climbing up the stairway.

Keith gave her one of his you've-got-to-be-kidding looks. "Laurie, these stairs are practically brand new. I doubt they're going to snap." He continued up the stairway and Laurie followed closely behind.

The white paint on the steps was peeling. _Brand new?_ She wondered what her brother would consider old?

It took them longer then expected to reach the top. Both siblings collapsed on the grass to catch their breath.

"Would you look at this place?" Keith said, when he was finally able to speak.

Laurie looked up at the tall white mansion, now only about a half-mile from where they lay. It seemed so much bigger up close and she marveled at the beautiful landscaping that surrounded it. Seeing it all up close began to make her doubt that Sandy came from there. She couldn't imagine anyone living in such a place having less than an elementary school education. "Keith, maybe we should go?"

"Nonsense. We came all the way up here, we may as well continue on with the plan."

"But Keith---"

"Come on." She watched as he pulled himself to his feet and pick up the wet and now crumpled beach blanket from off the grass. "Well? Are you coming?"

Laurie nodded quickly and also picked herself off the ground. The two Partridges then headed for the front porch of the mansion. Keith jogged ahead and hastily skipped up the steps, pausing at the door to knock. By the time Laurie caught up with him, a man was already standing at the door.

"Can I help you?" Asked an expensively dressed man Laurie took as the butler.

"Um, yes actually." Said Keith, "My sister and I were down at the beach when we came across this." He held up the wet beach towel. "We saw this house up here and thought it might belong to one of the occupants?"

Laurie silently praised her brother for his quick thinking. The towel idea seemed to be perfect.

"Oh, well, um I---" The man seemed at a loss for words. "It doesn't look very familiar to me, but perhaps one of the maids know?" He almost shut the door, but then, thinking better of it, looked back to Keith and Laurie.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Thank you." Keith smiled and turned to nod to Laurie who stepped inside first. She couldn't help but gawk at the décor. The place was as beautiful inside as it was on the exterior.

"This way." The butler led them to a sitting room just off the hall and over to a couch. "You two may have a set and I will go summon a maid."

"Thank you." Keith said again and sat down on the couch, pulling Laurie along with him.

"Keith!" Laurie whispered urgently to her brother, "This place is too nice! There's no way Sandy came from here!"

"Would you just relax?" Replied her brother, "I know what I'm doing."

Laurie sure hoped so, because she hadn't the slightest idea.

The butler returned and with him a maid and a distinguished looking gentlemen who looked like he hadn't smiled for years. On impulse, Keith and Laurie rose from their seats as soon as the trio entered.

"These are the teenagers who brought the beach towel, sir." Spoke the butler to the man.

The frowning man nodded and motioned towards the teens. "Please, sit."

Laurie and Keith both complied.

"And show me the towel?"

Keith held it up.

The man nodded. "Yes, that belongs to us. Thank you for returning it."

But to Laurie, he didn't seem like he meant it. To her, he seemed to have grown even more unpleasant after laying eyes on the item.

"Um… you're welcome, sir." Keith said. Laurie noticed her brother seemed nervous. Not that she blamed him. This man, probably the owner of the estate, wasn't a very nice person to be around.

Keith held out the towel and the man nodded for the maid to take it. 'Where did you find this?" He asked.

"On the beach, not far from the staircase up here. It was caught between some rocks." Keith replied truthfully.

The man merely nodded. He didn't seem upset that Keith had practically admitted to climbing up the sea-stairs and into his perfectly manicured lawn, but then again, he didn't seem happy about it either.

"Um… well, I'm glad we found the owner." Laurie said quickly, rising to her feet. She had spotted the time on a clock on the wall. It was almost half-past-four. They usually ate at six. If she and Keith were to make it home on time for dinner, they would have to be leaving shortly.

"Yes, indeed." Said the man. "Gresham, if you would show them to the door?"

"Yes, sir." The butler instantly rushed to their side. "Right this way." He led them back into the hall. Keith followed, but Laurie noticed he kept staring at the frowning man.

"Thank you so very much for returning the towel." Said Gresham.

"It was nothing." Laurie said trying to make it appear that she thought returning the item had been a great accomplishment. Actually, she thought it quite silly. If anyone had as much money as the man who owned this place had, he wouldn't have any trouble replacing a five-dollar towel.

Gresham smiled and opened the door for the couple. Laurie stopped, gasping when she saw someone she recognized all too well standing in the doorway. "Sandy?!"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Laurie couldn't help but stare for a couple of minutes. Sandy? Right there? Now? Of all things, this was the very last Laurie had expected.

"Sandy…" Keith only stared. His look of shock looked so ridiculous that Laurie couldn't imagine how she looked herself. Not that she could blame either of them. Here was Sandy, lost and found yet again.

"Sandy?" Gresham spoke and Laurie looked to him, "You must be mistaken. This is Marianne Cavendish. Mr. Cavendish's daughter."

Laurie and Keith exchanged glances. Marianne Cavendish? The girl in front of them was Sandy. Blonde hair, green-blue eyes… If anyone were mistaken, it would have to be Gresham.

"But that's---" The words left Keith just as soon as they had come to him. His mouth was hanging open again as he stared at Sandy in shock. It is here, Laurie realized, she'd have to be the one to show the confused butler his error.

"Sir," She said calmly, "_You_ are the one who's mistaken. That girl's name is Sandy. We… uh… met her on the beach the other day."

"Did you? Well, I have no idea why you would think her name was Sandy…"

"But…" Laurie didn't know what else to say. "Her name _is_ Sandy!"

Gresham shook his head. "No, no, no! Her name is Marianne Cavendish."

Laurie looked to the girl again. She looked exactly like Sandy, but still, she could be wrong. She decided that the only way to get any answers was by talking to the girl herself. "Sandy?" She turned to her.

Sandy looked at her and smiled. It was the same sweet smile she had been giving the entire Partridge family the weeks she had stayed with them. Laurie was sure this was Sandy! There could be no other explanation. "Sandy? It's me, Laurie. Remember? You stayed with my family for a few days in the past."

Sandy continued to smile.

Gresham stepped between them, "I'm afraid she won't answer you, miss. She's mute."

Laurie nodded, "I know that."

Gresham looked surprised, "You do?"

"Yes. I told you, we've met this girl before---"

"What's going on in here?" The unfriendly man suddenly entered the room with the maid at his heels.

"Mari!" Said the Maid smiling. You must be coming in for tea. I'll get right on it."

But one look at the unfriendly man and Sandy took a step towards the door.

Laurie grabbed her arm. "Wait. Sandy!" She whispered to the frightened girl, "Stay." There was no way was she letting Sandy out of her sight. Not now when she knew she was so near the truth. She looked to Keith and then back to the man who still stood with the maid standing beside him. The maid now looked a little perplexed as she too sized up the scene playing before them.

"Mari?" The man frowned looked from Sandy and Laurie, back to Gresham and Keith. His frown deepened and he took a step forward.

Sandy took another step back.

"Gresham, I thought you were leading these kids to the door?" Said the man tensely. His eyes stay trained on Sandy.

"I was, Mr. Cavendish, but then they almost ran into Marianne at the door and then there was this case of mistaken identity and---" The butler's voice trailed off as Mr. Cavendish held up a hand to silence him.

"That's enough." He said then clapped his hands twice. "Les? Charlie?" Suddenly, two more men walked through the open doorway.

Laurie turned to the newcomers. She gasped. They were the same two men who had been sitting with Sandy at the concert the night she had disappeared!

"Please escort our guests off the estate?" Mr. Cavendish nodded towards Keith and Laurie. Les and Charlie both nodded. Laurie looked to her brother for help.

"Hold on a minute!" Keith took a step towards his sister, placing a protective hand on her shoulder. "We just came to return some missing property, there's no need for anyone to get rough! We'll leave on our own accord…"

Mr. Cavendish nodded, "Good."

But Keith wasn't finished. "However, before we leave, my sister and I want some answers." He glanced at Sandy, "The whole truth."

Gresham looked to Mr. Cavendish.

"I could have you arrested for trespassing." Threatened the millionaire.

"Go ahead." Keith shrugged. Laurie had never seen him acting so brave. "But remember, you invited us inside your home. Besides…" He looked to Sandy, whom Laurie still had a grip on. "The police have been looking for this girl for quite some time now. I'm sure they'd be glad to know that she was finally located."

"I'm Marianne's father! They won't take her away from me!"

"They will after they learn about her lack of an education!"

This seemed to soften Mr. Cavendish. He looked from Laurie, to Keith, to Sandy. "You wouldn't---" He paused, "You don't understand!"

Laurie took a chance. "Maybe we would, if you would take the time to explain things to us?" She took a step forward, pulling Sandy along with her, trying to look as fearless as possible.

"But---"Cavendish thought for a minute, looking from one person to another. When he realized none of them were going to budge, he signed hopelessly and then nodded. "Alright. Come on. We can sit in the parlor." He turned and headed back into the room from which he came.

"I'll go get the tea!" Said the maid and she ran off in the other direction.

Gresham, Les and Charlie followed their boss. Laurie turned to follow them, but Sandy resisted.

"Come on, Sandy." Laurie tugged gently on the girl's arm, but she refused.

"She doesn't seem to like her father very much." Keith whispered to his sister.

Laurie nodded. "If that man is indeed her father."

"Come on, kids." Said Les, he poked his head out the parlor doorway. "The boss said to the parlor. Now, come on!"

Laurie looked to Keith who shrugged. After a considerable amount of prodding, they eventually got Sandy to follow them into the parlor, where the three of them sat on the sofa, Keith in the middle.

"Okay…" Mr. Cavendish sat on an armchair, facing the sofa. His hands were crossed and his arms were resting on his knees. Laurie could tell he was nervous. "Talk. What do you need to know?"

"It's about Sandy." Laurie said. "We know she was the girl we found on the beach a couple of weeks ago and took home thinking she was a runaway. We also know she was kidnapped while attending our concert a week ago and now here she is at your estate with your butler who claims she is your daughter."

"You're right." Mr. Cavendish nodded. "She is that girl and she is my daughter. But her name's not Sandy. It's Marianne. I don't know _where_ you got that other name."

Laurie looked to Keith. Where had they gotten this 'other name'? Where had they first heard it? It was from Tracy. Tracy had introduced Marianne as Sandy that first day at the beach.

Mr. Cavendish spoke up as the maid brought in the tea. "Now, if that's all your questions, I want you to leave."

Keith shook his head. "I'm not done yet."

Mr. Cavendish frowned at the eldest Partridge, but said nothing. He poured himself a cup of tea and then offered some to Les, Charlie and Gresham. All three declined.

'What I means is," Keith continued. "I have a couple more things to ask."

"What else matters? You know now she was the girl you found and sheltered and I thank you for it, but that's that. There's nothing more."

"Yes, there is." Keith insisted, "There's no way that Sandy---uh--- _Marianne_ left that theater Sunday night on her own accord. Maybe you could explain _that _event to us?"

"It's very simple," Replied Cavendish, stirring a spoonful of sugar into his tea, "My men were at the concert, recognized Mari and brought her home…"

"Didn't you think for a minute that she might be missed?" Asked Laurie. "Mom and the rest of us were frantic! We thought Mariannehad been kidnapped!"

"Well, she wasn't. So you can stop worrying."

Laurie couldn't believe somebody could be so cold. It would have been quite apparent to anybody that Sandy (now Marianne Cavendish) wasn't at the concert alone, but yet, Mr. Cavendish just took her without leaving any type of note or anything for the responding party to find. "Why didn't you contact the police when Marianne disappeared?"

"You don't know that I didn't?" Replied Cavendish, smugly.

"Yes we do." Keith spoke again, "If you would have reported her missing, the police would have contacted you when we brought her in Saturday night. The night we found her."

"I didn't realize she was gone until Sunday."

"Well, even then, they would have called us and told us Sandy's parents had been located!"

"Her name's _Marianne_."

"Don't change the subject!" Laurie could tell her brother was getting angry, and so she quickly nudged him in the side with her elbow. He looked to her. "What?"

"Calm down." She suggested and he nodded.

"Okay then…" Keith took a deep breath and looked back to Mr. Cavendish. "Just answer me one thing more, and then we will leave."

"Name it." Replied the millionaire, calmly.

"Why doesn't Marianne have a school education?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Laurie was surprised at how fast the fight had left Mr. Cavendish. He now seemed ashamed and frightened. She wondered if he was finally seeing all he had done wrong.

"She's… educated." Cavendish said with much difficulty.

Keith seemed to notice the change too, because his voice softened, "Then _why _doesn't she know how to read and write? Add and subtract? Why isn't Marianne in school?"

"Mari doesn't need to be in school."

Laurie couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Of course she does! Everybody needs an education!" Laurie liked school. It wasn't just about education, it was about friendships too. She wondered if Marianne had any friends.

"Laurie, let me handle this." The authoritative-older-brother tone came to Keith's voice as he rose from the couch and walked slowly over to Mr. Cavendish. "I think I'm finally beginning to make sense of this whole thing…" He stopped, when he reached the chair. "Mari embarrasses you, doesn't she Mr. Cavendish?"

The man's eyes were slowly clouding over with tears.

"That's why she's not in school, because you're afraid of what people think. That's why you've kept her here all the time and that's why you wouldn't report her disappearance to the police. If they found out Mari didn't have access to an education you could be in for a lot of trouble."

Laurie was amazed at her brother's conclusion. It all made sense. Marianne's shyness, her lack of arithmetic… it was all because a father was ashamed by his daughter. Ashamed that she was different.

"It's not true!"

"Of course it's true, Mr. Cavendish! Why can't you just admit it?"

Everyone in the room looked to the millionaire, waiting for him to speak. But he didn't say a word. After all, what could he say? Nothing. He couldn't say a thing when he knew he was wrong.

* * *

A week later, Laurie and her family were back on the stage performing again for a large audience of adoring fans. But one fan in particular, not one member of the family could take their eyes off of: Marianne Cavendish.

After the confrontation the week before, Mr. Cavendish had taken a turn for the better. He had gone to the police station and explained the situation, voiding the kidnapping report on Marianne. Her deprivation of an education angered some though, and Marianne, only sixteen, was going to be tutored and put in a foster home until a further investigation of her upbringing could occur.

According to Mr. Cavendish, he had kept her out of private school, fearing the teasing, but when asked why she wasn't home schooled or a tutor hired, he had become silent. Keith and Laurie couldn't get anything more out of him, but figured they both knew the answer. A less-then-average child embarrassed a man in Mr. Cavendish's position. He couldn't imagine people knowing about his born-mute daughter, especially after his wife's sudden death, not long after Marianne's first birthday. For years no one even knew Marianne existed and Laurie was surprised Mr. Cavendish had kept her a secret for so long. It had been pure carelessness that had led to the Partridges finding her on the beach. A maid had allowed Marianne to venture out alone and go swimming down at the beach.

Now, here was Marianne, waving to the family from her seat in the front row of the auditorium. Laurie was glad she had received the free ticket and she couldn't help but look forward to the end of the concert. Shirley had promised a surprise and Laurie could only imagine what it was.

After the last note was sang, the family bowed and the curtains closed. Tracy hastily began tugging at Laurie's arm wanting to get changed and out to see Marianne. She still called the Cavendish girl 'Sandy', but Marianne didn't seem to mind.

"Who would have known?" Rueben said, entering the dressing room later that evening. The entire Partridge family looked up at him as he entered. "She disappears at a concert and then reappears at a concert."

Shirley smiled shaking her head, "Quit teasing, Rueben. You know that isn't entirely true." Rueben had been filled in days earlier about the entire case, and he was still befuddled by the news.

The manager smiled and took an empty seat by a mirror. The Partridge children continued taking turns in the bathroom, changing into street clothes. Laurie was just tying Tracy's tennis shoes when a knock was heard on the door.

"I'll get it." Chris went over and opened the door. "Oh, come in!" He stepped aside to let the visitors inside. Marianne entered first, followed by someone the Partridge family knew all too well.

"Mrs. Applewood." Laurie said, greeting their neighbor. She was a bit surprised to see that the older woman had come to their concert. She had always thought that she was against popular music. Her presence was a shock.

"Here is the surprise I mentioned." Shirley said, grinning. "Mrs. Applewood was chosen to be Marianne's foster mother."

Laurie couldn't believe it, but it was a nice surprise anyway. Especially for Tracy. Now she could see Mari whenever she wanted.

"Hooray!" Cheered Tracy and she ran over to Marianne, flinging her arms around the girl's waist.

Marianne smiled and returned the hug.

The middle Partridge was less enthusiastic. "You're kidding?" Danny frowned. "You mean, we just got rid of her and now she's going to be out neighbor?"

Keith shoved him.

Mrs. Applewood smiled. "That's right, Danny. You'll never get rid of us." She laughed. Laurie couldn't remember the last time she had seen Mrs. Applewood in such a good mood. She guessed it had something to do with Mari. Mr. Applewood was constantly working and Laurie could imagine it could get lonely for his wife. Mari would be good company.

"Well, then. I guess we should get going." Said Shirley, rising form her chair.

"Now?"

"No, Danny. You can stay here all night and all day tomorrow." Rueben teased, getting to his feet.

"Ha ha. Very funny." Danny frowned at him and followed the rest out the door.

They all ended up at the Partridge home for cake and ice cream. Laurie couldn't imagine a happier ending for Marianne and everyone else involved. Marianne would now be getting schooled, and only lived about five minutes away from her new friends. Not to mention, Tracy wouldn't have to miss her. The only unresolved end was Mr. Cavendish. Laurie hoped the best for him, after all, he was Marianne's father and she knew he loved his daughter. He just needed some time to get his thinking straightened out and accept Marianne as she was.

"Laurie, phone!"

Laurie looked up from her plate to see her mother standing in the kitchen with the receiver. She quickly excused herself from the table and took the phone from her mom. "Who is it?" She whispered, placing her palm over the mouthpiece. Shirley shrugged and returned to dishing out the dessert. Laurie pressed her ear to the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Laurie, it's Bess." She sounded irritated again and Laurie wondered if she had again forgotten something.

"Um, hi, Bess. What's up?"

"Focus Laurie! Focus! What was important that happened today and you forgot?"

Laurie couldn't recall. "Um…"

Bess signed irritably, "The conference, Laurie. The conference! Why weren't you there? What is wrong with you? Where is your dedication to the whales?"

Laurie thought for a moment and looked back at the table where her family sat with friends all laughing and enjoying there time together.

"Laurie?"

"Sorry, Bess. I've got to go. We have company. I'll call you later okay?"

"But Laurie! Laurie---"

Laurie hung up the phone, sighing. Right now she didn't have time to feel guilty. Right now she was too relieved to be mad at herself. Right now, all she wanted was to enjoy time with her family, because until recently, she hadn't realized how important family really was.

**

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Author's Note:

I hope this was a satisfying ending for everyone. Thanks to all who read!


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